Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-39492 on 4 March 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

The seal licence conditions specify that seals cannot be shot on land. In the first three quarters of 2011, 162 seals were shot near fish farms and 200 seals were shot in rivers, estuaries and near coastal netting stations. None were shot in the open sea outwith these areas.

Marine Scotland has made no site visits specifically to assess the use of non-lethal methods of deterring seals. Instead Marine Scotland is currently supporting a number of scientific research studies on seal predation and the practicality and effectiveness of non-lethal measures in preventing this with a view to producing advice for both fisheries and fish farms.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-05609 on 9 March 2012. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

The four marine licences that have received consent were granted to Shetland Islands Council, Aquamarine Power (2a), Wello Oy, and Shapensay Sound. The three applications which are still under consideration are Nova Innovation, Aquamarine Power (2b & c), and Scappa Flow.

Marine Scotland had originally considered the possible impacts on 10 special protection areas with marine extensions. They are; Fetlar, Hoy, Marwick Head, Sule Skerry and Sule Stack, West Westray, Rousay, Calf of Eday, North Caithness Cliffs, Copinsay, and Hermaness, Saxa Vord, and Valla Field. A recent update of the Shapensay Sound appropriate assessment has added North Rona and Sula Sgeir special protection area to this list.

The appropriate assessment for the Shetland Islands Council application concluded that loss of 0.002% of habitat and the utilisation of a non driven pile construction method would not adversely affect the integrity of the Fetlar SPA.

The appropriate assessment for the Shapensay Sound application concluded that based on the results of the collision risk modelling for the relevant birds species there would not be an adverse affect on the integrity of the following SPAs; Hoy, Marwick Head, Sule Skerry and Sule Stack, West Westray, Rousay, Calf of Eday, North Caithness Cliffs, Copinsay, North Rona and Sula Sgeir.

The appropriate assessment for the Wello Oy application concluded that the permanent surface visibility of the device meant that potential collision risk was minimal. Potential displacement was also considered to be minimal for the relevant birds species and therefore would not adversely affect the integrity of the following SPAs; Hoy, and Marwick Head.

The appropriate assessment for the Aquamarine Power application concluded that the frequent surface visibility of the device meant that potential collision risk was minimal. Potential displacement was also considered to be minimal for the relevant birds species and therefore would not adversely affect the integrity of the following SPAs; Hoy, and Marwick Head.

The UK by catch observer programme, between 1996 and 2010, has records for 1,552 observed trips on vessels using static net fishing gear in ICES Area IV and ICES area VII. These trips have resulted in 10,666 hauls being observed with only 74 hauls resulting in accidental bycatch of seabirds

For 2010 and 2011 Marine Scotland’s observer programme was active on 129 pelagic and demersal trawl fishing trips in ICES Area IV and ICES area VI. No accidental by catches of seabirds were observed on these trips.

In 2011 there was a bycatch of 17 fulmars in the longline fishery by vessels from other member states, operating in ICES area VI. Additional monitoring in this fishery is currently being investigated to ascertain any impacts.

Based on the low level of observations of accidental by catch it is unlikely that there is a negative impact on seabird populations, or the favourable conservation status of special protections areas.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-05609 on 9 March 2012. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

The average number of fish farms on each licence issued under section 110 of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 in (a) 2011 is 6.6 and (b) 2012 is 7.4. The largest number of fish farms on any single licence is 32 and the smallest number 1.

Red squirrels are one of the species included in SNH’s Species Action Framework and are a focus for practical action. SNH prepared an interim Grey Squirrel Control Strategy following public consultation in April 2010. The Strategy sets out locations where grey squirrel control is most likely to benefit red squirrel conservation. Targeted grey squirrel control is currently being carried out through two public and NGO partnership projects; Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels (in the north-east of Scotland, Tayside and Loch Lomond and Trossachs) and Red Squirrels in South Scotland. These projects are co-ordinating grey squirrel control and at the same time attempting to measure the costs and the benefits to red squirrels.

Scottish Natural Heritage is to provide funding of £350,000 for the Saving Red Squirrels Project between 2012-14.

Additionally, the Scottish Government has committed funding of £2,733,930 between 2012 and 2016 to projects under the Rural Priorities element of the Scotland Rural Development Programme, for red squirrel conservation.

Forestry Commission Scotland has also committed £500,000 between 2012-16 for the conservation of red squirrels in Scotland.